Gianlukas Illescas Obituary / Peekskill Suicide: In loving memory of Hillcrest Elementary student who died unexpectedly on Thursday.
At a Westchester County school board meeting on Tuesday night, feelings ran high. Following the death of a 10-year-old boy, many people are sad. His relatives said that he committed suicide as a result of bullying at school.
After Gianlukas Illescas passed away on May 25, smoke from the Canadian wildfires and a general feeling of loss weighed heavily over Peekskill on Wednesday.
“A boy that was just so mature, responsible, and polite,” Wykeima King-Walker said.
Gianlukas, according to King-Walker, participated in a Little Kings and Queens after-school program until May 1. The 10-year-old was no longer alive three weeks later.
The cause of death was determined to be accidental suffocation by the Westchester Medical Examiner.
Gianlukas attended Hillcrest Elementary, where his family alleges he was the victim of months of bullying and that insufficient measures were taken to shield him.
At the board of education hearing on Tuesday night, the boy’s father said that the superintendent had disregarded his concerns.